Broken Spring : They’re a Little Late (Something About a Strike), but Major Leaguers : DODGERS: Youth Will Be Serving in ‘95--No Kidding

Fred Claire, Dodger executive vice president, was talking with a visitor in his office Friday morning when he was interrupted by an urgent telephone call.

It was an agent, and he couldn’t wait.

He alerted Claire that he had the center fielder who would lead the Dodgers to the promised land--a guy who would steal 80 bases, hit 15 to 20 home runs and continue to be one of the game’s finest leadoff hitters.

“Sorry,” Claire said, “we’re going with the young outfielders.”

Vince Coleman simply was the latest to be snubbed by the Dodgers.

The Dodgers also had no interest in center fielder Marquis Grissom or shortstop Jeff Blauser. They ignored starters Ken Hill and David Cone. And they shunned closers John Franco and Rick Aguilera.

It has been enough to send Dodger fans screaming into the night, start radio sports-talk shows buzzing with ridicule, and even make some of their own players wonder what’s going on.

While the Colorado Rockies signed outfielder Larry Walker and starter Billy Swift, and the San Diego Padres have renovated their team with the monstrous trade with the Houston Astros, the Dodgers are reinforcing themselves with players unfamiliar to anyone outside the city limits of Albuquerque, N.M.

Those calls and letters coming into the Dodger offices these days aren’t playoff-seating requests.

“I recognize any time you make significant moves in personnel,” Claire said, “it brings with it a certain amount of controversy. But this is a difficult time we’re in.

“This a real world. I do have a budget. And for anyone to say the Dodgers haven’t been severely affected by the strike is not a realist.”

Still, it’s hard for many familiar with Dodger ways to grasp this concept. This is a team that loaded up with free agents in 1988 and won the World Series, earning Claire the executive-of-the-year award.

Now, at a time when many of his aging veterans have left, he’s loading up with youth, relying on the club’s minor league system.

“Let’s be honest,” Claire said, “do you pay a guy a million dollars if you have a guy in your minor league system just as good? I’m not going to pay a guy $5 million this year, and $30 million to keep him. It just doesn’t make sense.

“We believe in these kids. We have the talent that will make us better. And we will be a better team.

“I promise you that.”

Still, despite the accolades their players achieved in the minors, it’s as if the Dodgers are in a high-stakes poker game hoping to draw to the inside straight with a quarter in their pocket.

Raul Mondesi is moving to center field after being named rookie of the year in right field. Left fielder Billy Ashley and right fielder Todd Hollandsworth have a combined 45 games of major league experience. The fourth and fifth candidates in the rotation have one major league start between them. And the bullpen consists of a closer who saved 11 games and blew a league-leading eight others, plus five pitchers who have combined for a total of 21 major league victories and 14 saves.

It hardly is a team striking fear in the hearts of the National League West, and if the Dodgers falter, guess who will be held accountable.

“When I got hired eight years ago,” Claire said, “my first day on the job, the headline in the Los Angeles Times read: ‘Claire on the Hot Seat.’

“And the seat hasn’t gotten any cooler. I know we’re going to feel the heat.”

Claire, who still plans to pick up a low-priced left-handed pitcher, such as Frank Viola, remains calm. He’s convinced these kids will become big leaguers. He’s confident this method will work, and really believes this team will win.

“We’ve never had this much young talent, or been in a situation where we can provide young players the opportunity to do it,” he said.

“I’m not concerned that people don’t know these kids’ names on April 7, because by Sept. 7, they’ll know them very well.

“Take notes. Write it down. You see if I’m right.”

The team has only 2 1/2 weeks to prepare for opening day, and by April 25 Claire must make critical personnel decisions. Here’s a look at the Dodgers as they begin spring training with their entire squad today, position by position:

FIRST BASE

Eric Karros, the 1992 National League rookie of the year, has been remarkably consistent. He has hit between .247 and .266 in his first three full seasons and was on a pace to hit at least 20 homers and drive in nearly 80 runs for the third consecutive year. Karros would like to increase his run production and believes he’s capable of driving in 90 runs.

He’ll be backed up occasionally by Dave Hansen, who was promised more playing time than the 44 at-bats he received last season.

SECOND BASE

Delino DeShields suffered virtually every injury known to mankind last season but is convinced he’ll return this season to be the league’s premier second baseman.

He inherits Brett Butler’s leadoff role and may be the key ingredient in the Dodgers’ offense.

DeShields is the team’s highest-paid position player at $3 million, and the Dodgers will have to make a decision on whether to retain him before he’s eligible for free agency.

SHORTSTOP

OK, we know all about Jose Offerman’s errors, his moodiness and his struggles at the plate. They’ve been documented since he arrived, and during the winter, the Dodgers quietly let it be known that he’s available.

Yet, after Offerman was demoted to triple-A Albuquerque last June, the Dodgers say he became a new man. Now he must prove it.

Offerman, who will earn $1.6 million this season, must prove himself early or he’ll be employed elsewhere, and the job will be given to Rafael Bournigal.

THIRD BASE

Two years ago, Tim Wallach was considered washed up and on his way out of baseball. Then, along came hitting coach Reggie Smith.

Wallach batted .280, hit 23 home runs and drove in 78 runs in 113 games last season. This prompted an invitation to come back. The Dodgers signed him to a one-year, $1.5-million contract, and told Ron Coomer he’s going to have to wait at least another year.

CATCHER

The storybook tale continues. The kid from Philadelphia is drafted in the 62nd round as a favor to his father’s best friend, Tom Lasorda, he is nearly released in the minors, and today he is the game’s premier catcher.

Mike Piazza was batting .338 with 19 homers and 72 RBIs by the end of last June, and had 24 homers and 92 RBIs at the time of the strike. If Piazza stays behind the plate, scouts say he could become the greatest hitting catcher since Johnny Bench.

OUTFIELD

They may be loaded with power, and there’s an abundance of potential, but there could be problems defensively with the departure of Butler. Mondesi, in center field, will be flanked by newcomers Ashley and Hollandsworth.

The Dodgers believe this is their outfield of the future. Ashley, the Pacific Coast League’s player of the year, had 37 homers and 105 RBIs last season. Hollandsworth had 19 homers and 91 RBIs. And then, of course, there’s Mondesi, the NL’s rookie of the year.

BENCH

The Dodgers might not have the reserves to replace any of their starters adequately if they’re out for long, but the subs are proficient pinch-hitters.

Outfielder Henry Rodriguez and third baseman Hansen could start on several teams, and outfielders Chris Gwynn and Mitch Webster, catcher Carlos Hernandez and infielder Jeff Treadway understand their roles.

STARTING PITCHING

Ramon Martinez, Tom Candiotti and Pedro Astacio will anchor the rotation, but then it’s anyone’s guess what will happen.

Ismael Valdes, 21, who has one of the finest arms in the organization, is supposed to be No. 4 in the rotation despite having started only one game in his big league career. The fifth job likely will go to Japanese star Hideo Nomo, but after suffering arm problems last year and having to adjust to the majors this year, who knows how he’ll fare? If Nomo struggles, the Dodgers may turn to Omar Daal.

RELIEF PITCHING

Let’s put it this way: Todd Worrell, who had 11 saves and blew eight others, is the closer.

The rest of the bullpen--Al Osuna, Antonio Osuna, Rudy Seanez, Greg Hansell, Ed Vosberg and possibly Todd Williams--have combined for those 21 major league victories and 14 saves. And Al Osuna was responsible for 18 of the victories and all 14 of the saves.

Ouch.